Fruit-picking device



, Sept. 16, 1924, ,5o8,972

y A.HERMUNDSON FRUIT PICKING DEVICF Filed Aug. 23. 1923 INVENTOR. /Z fiermunls an %www 'ATTo E Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

' UNITE f sr ALBERT HER vLoNnsoN,

'oF NELSON, wIsooNsIN.

'FRUIT-PIGKING DEVICE.

Application filed August 23, 1923. Serial No. &58,990.

To all 'whom it may conoern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HERMUNDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Nelson, in the county' of Buffalo and tate of Wisconsin, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements n Fruit-Pckng Devices, ofwhich'the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

is invention relates to certain improvements in fruit piclring devices and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character wherein apples or kin'dred fruit may be readily picked by a person on the ground. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of 'this general character embodying two relatively movable jaws one hingedly conneoted to the other and with the second jaw `carried by an elongated handle or the like together with means for normally maintaining said jaws separated and' manually operated means for moving said jaWs one toward the other to effect the desired picking of the fruit. r a An additional object of the inventionis to provide a novel and improved device of this general character embodying a handle having severing means mounted thereon together -with a collecting sack supported by the handle below the severing means to receive the picked fruit. 'i V The invention consists in the details of Construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved fruit picking device whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, Wherein:-

F igure l is an elevation of a 'ruit picking device constructed in accordance with my invention;

F igure 2 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1 but with the handle 1 disposed in an approximately vertical position;

Figure' 3 is a top plan view of the cony struction illustrated in F igure' 2, the handle and 6 being in section;

l and the members 8 Figure 4 is an elevation as in Figure v 2, but showing a modified form of structure;

As disclosed in the accompanying 'drawings, l denotes an elongatedhandle provided in one end with a ferrule 2-to provide means whereby an extension handle may be employed when desired. T

A cup like picking jaw 3 is secured at its central portion 'to the opposite end of the handle l by a bolt 4 or the like and hingedly connected as gat 5' with the free marginal portion of the jawB is the marginal portion of a second cup like jaw 6.

The axis of the hinge 5 is disposed sub` stantially in parallelism with the longitua dinal axis of thehandle member l whereby the jaw 6 has swinging movement in a di-` rection transversely of said handle member. It is also to be noted` that the mountng for the jaw 6 is such as to position the jaws 3 and 6 entirely to one side of the handle member l. 4 g

The second jaw 6 has'depending from its marginal portion an eye member 7 through which extends an end portion of an elonv gated spring 8 the opposite end portion of said spring being anchored to the handle 1. This spring 8 serves to 'normally maintain the jaw 6 normally open with respect to the jaw 3. `Also secured to the eye member 7 is an extremity of `a' flexible member 9 which passes through a guide member 10 carried by the handle member l and then continues downwardly of said handle member. By requisite pull being imposed upon the flexible member 9 the jaw 6 will be a moved toward the jaw 3 and thereby readily Sever an apple or the like, picked fruit being housed within the jaws 3 and 6. Upon release of pull or strain upon the fiexible member 9, the jaws 6, under the influence of the spring 8 Will automatically return to open position whereupon the apple or other severed fruit may be readily dropped within the sack 11.

The sack 11 has its upper or open end sutably engaged with a ring 12 provided with an outstanding and upwardly disposed extension or arm 14 which is pivotally held to the handle 1 by the bolt 4 so that the sack 11 at all times will be properly positioned below the jaws 3 and 6 irrespective of the position of the handle 1.

From the foregoing description it is the severed or e thought to be obvious that a 'fruitp-icking device constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly Well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my inventon is susceptible of some change and modification Without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimeda In Figure 4-. of the drawings I illustrate a further embodiment of my invention wherein the hinge 5' is of a spring type' and serves to normally maintain the jew G' open with respect to the jaw 3'.

I claim e 1. A device of the class described comprising a handle member, a cup-like ja-w, means for connect-ing the central portion of said jaw to one sideot the handle member, second cup-lke jaw, means tor pivotally connecting marginal portions'of both of said the aXis of said pivotal connection being disposed substantially in parallelism With the longitudinal aXis' of the handle member, means for normally maintaining the second jaw open with respect to the first named jaw, and manual means for moviug said second jaw toward the first jaw.

2. A device ot the class described comprising a handle member, a cuplike jew, means for connecting the central portion to one side of the handle memof said ber, a second cup-like aw, means for PIV- aws,

otally connectmg marginal portions of; both of said jaws, the aXis of said pivotal connecton being disposed substantially inpar` allelsm with the longtudinal axis of` the handle member, means tor normally Inaintaining the second jaw open with respect to the first named jaW, manual means for mo-Ving said second jaw toward the first jaw, a seek, and means 'coac'ting With the sack and handlefor supporting the sack below the' jaws.

3. A device of the class described comprsing a handle member, a cup-like jaw, means for conneoting the central portion of said j aw to the handle member a second cup-likejaw, mea-nett' pivetally eonneeting mergimi portions of both of said jaws an eye member exten eling outw'ardly froni a marginal portionof the secondjaw a spring Secured to the handle member and freely disposed through the eye member to normally maintain the second jew in open position with respect to the first jaw, and means for moving said second jew toward thefirst jaw.

e. AL device of the class described comprising a` handle member, a cup-like jaw meanstor eonnecting the central portion of said jawto the handle member, a second cup-like jew, means for piVjot ally connecting marginal portins of both of said jaws,

an eye member extending outwardly from a marginal portion of the second jaw, a spring Secured to the handle member and freely dispos'ed through the eye member to normally maintain the second; jaw in' open position with respect to` the first jew a guide member carried by the handle member adjacent to the first named jaW, and a fiexible member Secured to the eye member of the second jew andcoacting with the guide member to provide means for manually moving the second jew toward the first jaW,

In teetimony wheref I` hereunto afiix my ALBERT HEeMUNDsoN. 

